Ohio residents may soon receive notifications about escaped inmates from correctional facilities, under a proposed system akin to the Amber Alert.
House Bill 23, introduced by Reps. Bill Roemer, R-Richfield, and Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, aims to enable law enforcement to promptly inform residents near a jail or prison when an inmate escapes. This proposed system is called the “escaped convict alert program.”
“The idea is to have an Amber Alert-style system that will notify residents if an individual escapes from confinement,” Williams said. “This way, they can be aware in real time that there’s someone in the community who may have a higher propensity for crimes like carjackings or home break-ins as they flee the area.”
The alert system would apply to inmates convicted of, indicted for, or having pleaded guilty to a felony offense. Williams believes the alerts would enhance public safety and assist law enforcement in locating escaped inmates.
“If an individual escapes, there needs to be an immediate alert for residents so they can secure their property and watch for this individual,” Williams said. “This would also give law enforcement a better chance to apprehend the individual quickly, thanks to community engagement.”
Details of the system will be discussed in committee hearings, Williams said. He envisions notifications being sent directly to residents’ phones and broadcast on television and radio.
“Similar to Amber Alert, you will get notifications directly to your phone with a loud sound that gets your attention and alerts you to watch for an individual,” Williams said. “With modern phones, we could even provide a picture of the individual.”
Introduced in January, the bill also specifies that entities involved in broadcasting alerts cannot be held liable for any “damages” or “loss” resulting from sharing or failing to share the notification.
Roemer introduced a similar bill in October 2024, which did not advance to a hearing before the legislative session ended. States like Indiana and Oklahoma have adopted similar alert systems for escaped inmates.
Ohio had no prison escapes from 2019 to 2022, according to the state Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. However, two inmates escaped from a Lima correctional institution in 2023, the state’s most recent prison escape.
“I think this is a bipartisan bill that should face no opposition, and I look forward to the committee process providing safety and security to our residents,” Williams said.
HB 23 is assigned to the House Public Safety Committee and awaits its first hearing. The bill has 11 Republican and three Democratic co-sponsors.